And charles rees



(No Model.)

H. L. DE ZENG l8a C. REBS.

REIN SUPPORTER. 4

Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

H. L. DE ZENG 8v C. REBS. REIN SUPPORTER.

No. 435,601. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

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Wir/@04m of@ @fw/d @ed UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEe HENRY L. DE ZENG, OF GENEVA, NEV YORK, AND CHARLES BEES, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

REIN-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,601, dated September 2, 1890.

Application filed December 30, 1889. Serial No. 335,320. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY L. DE ZENG,of Geneva, in the count-y of Ontario and State of New York, and CHARLES BEES, of Mirmeapolis, in the county of Ilennepin and State of lllinnesota, have invented an Improvement in Rein-Supporters, ot which the following is a specification.

The lines or reins usually pass from the.

horses bit through rings upon the saddle, and thence to the driver; and it is found that the portions of the reins between the saddle and the bit frequently become en tangled or caught beneath the forward ends of the shafts or thills. This is especially the case when the horse is standing still and may move his head to one side or the other. In cases where the reins pass through gag-runners or loops hang ing from the headstall, the reins are not sup ported far enough back to prevent the diiiieulty before named.

The object of the present invention is to support the reins across the horses neck in such a way that they will not drop down low enough to come in contact with the ends of the. thills, and at the same time there will be nothing to interfere with the use of the reins in the ordinary manner in guiding the horse. To accomplish this object we make use of a strap passing across the horses neck, and removably connected at its ends with the reins, and such strap is of a length adapted to holding the reins in about the normal position as they pass from the bit through the saddlerings, thereby preventing the reins droppingr low enough to be caught under,the ends of the thills, and the clamps at the ends of the supporting-strap prevent the strap changing position upon the reins; but the reins are free for use in guiding the horse.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation representing the improved rein-supporter. Fig. 2 is aside view of the holder for one end of such supporter. Fig. 3 is the edge, and Fig. 4 the hack, of the plate of metal forming the loop or holder for the rein. Figs. 5, (i, 7, 8, 9, l0, and ll are elevations of the holder in the different forms made use of by us, and Fig. 12 is a perspective view et the rein and supporter in use.

The strap A, of leather or other suitable material, is of the proper length to pass across the horses neck and extend down to the reins in their normal positions, and at each end ot this strap is a rein-holder B, through which the rein passes, and the holder is adapted to clamp the rein, so as to be retained rmly upon such rein and prevent the strap or holder moving toward the saddle or toward the horses head.

The rein-holder B may he of any suitable character. le sometimes make the same ot a strip of metal, having tongues 2 eut from the same, and bent backwardly so as to pass through the strap A (see Figs. 3 and a) and he clinched, and one end of the strip of metal is bent to a hook shape, as at 3, and the strip of metal is folded at 4 to form the loop into which the rein is received, and sometimes we employ a stud or pin at5 to pass intoahole in the rein in order to retain the fastening or supporter firmly upon the rein when applied at the proper place. In Fig. 5 this rein-holder is represented as open, ready to receive the rein, and in Fig. 3 as closed upon the rein to clamp the same firmly and secure the reinholder to the rein. Itis usually preferable to turn the end of the holder B outwardly, as at. G, to form a thumb-piece, by which the holder may be opened to disconnect the same i'rom the rein whenever necessary, and by providing a semieircle hcnd,asai 7, Fig. 7,the holder is adapted to a round rein. In Fig. l the end of the strap A takes the place of the bend 3, to hold the rein in place.

The metallic holders for the ends of the supporter may be made of wire, each having a bend or eye 8 at one end and a crimp-or V projection at the other end,as seen in Fig. S, to pass into the eye and hold the rein when the same has been inserted between the two folded parts of the wire, and in this case the wire forming the holder may be secured to the strap A by staples or other convenient attachments. i

In Fig. 9 the holder is shown et wire haw7` ing three parallel parts. The two outer ones are to be fastened tothe strap A, and the een ter one forms a clip to press against the outside ot the rein and hold the same firmly against the other portions et the holder, and the ends of the wire forming the supporter IOO may be bent, as shown in Fig-.10, to hook together or interlock after the rein has been inserted between the two parts of the Wire.

It is to be understood that the tivo reinholders, one at eaeh'end of the strap A, are made alike, and they may be in either one of the forms represented and heretofore described.

A leather strap and buckle, as shown at l1, Fig. 1l, may be used for closing the parts of the rein-supporter and holdin g the saine upon the rein. In this Case the lip or end portion 6 is downwardly.

We elailn as our inventionl. The eombi1iation,with the driving-rei ns extendingr from the bit, of a rein-supporting strap passing from one rein to the other across the neck of the animal and independent of 'of a strip of metal attached to the strap A,

and having the end portion G to be clamped against the rein, substantially as set forth.

Signed by us this 16th day of December, 1889.

HENRY L. DE ZENG. CHAS. REES.

Vitnesses:

J AMES H. GrDDrNGs, R. P. RUssELn'Jr. 

